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Xonotic Server Hosting
Run the fastest arena shooter around for your community while the AI copilot keeps the server up.
What do you need for Xonotic server hosting?
Xonotic server hosting needs very little: the free Xonotic release (0.8.6 is current), which includes the dedicated server, a server.cfg in the game's data folder, UDP port 26000 reachable and 1–2 GB of RAM. Set a name, an rcon password and sv_public 1 and you are on the public list. On GameTeam you pay per GB of RAM, from $0.49/GB a week, with unlimited slots, and the AI copilot writes server.cfg for you: modes, map votes, bots, mutators.
Run your Xonotic server by just asking.
Everything about a Xonotic server is a cvar in one server.cfg, and there are hundreds of them. Tell the copilot what kind of server you want, CTF nights or an InstaGib server that stays pure, and it finds the right cvars, sets them and reads the log when players get a black screen.
Your Modes, Written
Game mode and rotation configured by the copilot from what you tell it.
Nearly Free to Run
Xonotic barely uses RAM — one of the cheapest servers to keep up all year.
One Address, Any Game
Switch the server when the crowd does.
Xonotic with friends
A free, open-source arena shooter in the Quake tradition: absurd movement speed, precise weapons and a skill ceiling that keeps people playing for years. Community servers keep the modes and maps alive, and the regulars are very, very good.
Xonotic server RAM requirements
1-2 GB. Xonotic is one of the lightest servers we host.
| Your server | Starting RAM | From (Budget, weekly) |
|---|---|---|
| Duel or a small DM server | 2 GB | $0.98 / week |
| Public CTF or Clan Arena with bots and custom maps | 2 GB | $0.98 / week |
Xonotic runs on the DarkPlaces engine, and the server has no graphics to render, so 2 GB, our smallest plan, is more than enough even with bots and a big map list. CPU matters more: doubling the server tick rate with sys_ticrate makes play smoother and costs more CPU, which the Ryzen 9 7950X has to spare. Player limit: 16-32 depending on mode.
How to set up a Xonotic server on GameTeam
Pick RAM and a location
2 GB covers any Xonotic server. Pick the location nearest your players: 25+ across Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, with sub-15ms latency.
Shape the server
Tell the copilot the name, modes, map list and whether you want bots, or edit server.cfg in the file manager. Custom maps go in as .pk3 files.
Play
With sv_public 1 the server shows up in Xonotic's server list. Or open the console and type connect with the address and port from the panel.
Good to know before you start
Game mode and map rotation are defined in server configuration rather than chosen in a lobby.
Xonotic server settings explained
The dedicated server runs server.cfg from its data folder on every start (~/.xonotic/data on a Linux install). Xonotic ships a commented example in server/server.cfg. Lines are cvar value, and // starts a comment. The cvars owners change most:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
hostname | The server name in the browser. |
sv_public | 1 lists the server publicly; 0 or -1 keeps it off the list. |
sv_motd | Message shown when players connect. Put your Discord or contact info here. |
maxplayers | Player slots, spectators included. g_maxplayers caps active players, so the rest spectate. |
rcon_password | Remote console password. Empty means rcon is off. |
gametype | Default mode: dm, tdm, ctf, ca, ft, kh, ka, lms, dom, ons, as, cts and more. |
sv_vote_gametype / sv_vote_gametype_options | Lets players vote on the next mode after each match, from the list you give. |
g_maplist / g_maplist_shuffle | The maps to play, in order or shuffled. Empty means every installed map; maps that don't support the mode are skipped. |
g_maplist_votable | How many maps the end-of-match vote offers (default 6). 0 turns the vote screen off. |
timelimit_override / fraglimit_override | One limit for every map: minutes or frags. -1 uses each map's own, 0 means none. |
minplayers / bot_number / skill | Bots that fill up to a player count (teamless modes; minplayers_per_team in team modes), a fixed number of bots, and their skill from 0 to 10. |
g_warmup | Starts each map in warmup until everyone readies up (F4 by default). |
sv_vote_master_password | Lets trusted players log in with vlogin and run vote commands directly with vdo. |
sys_ticrate | Server frame time. Default 0.0333333; 0.0166667 gives twice as many frames for smoother play at more CPU. |
sv_weaponstats_file | Sends weapon balance stats (no player data) to the Xonotic team. It is on in the example config; comment the line out to opt out. |
Xonotic server commands
Run these in the server console, or from your game with rcon <command> after setting the same rcon_password on your client. Xonotic's rcon is QuakeWorld-compatible, so external rcon tools work too. The copilot can run any of them for you.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
gotomap <map> | Switches to a map now. chmap works too. |
endmatch | Ends the current match. |
restart | Restarts the current match. |
status | Shows the current map and who is connected. |
kick <player> | Removes a player. kickban also bans them. |
sv_cmd bans / sv_cmd unban | Lists the current bans, or lifts one. |
movetored / movetoblue | Moves a player to a team. shuffleteams reshuffles everyone. |
allready | Ends warmup and starts the match for everyone. |
bots / nobots | Votable shortcuts to add or remove the configured bots. |
cvarlist / cmdlist | Lists every cvar or command the server knows. |
Can I add mods to a Xonotic server?
Custom maps, mutators and server-side configuration are supported; there is no large mod ecosystem to manage.
Maps and server-side content come as .pk3 files in the data folder. Players download missing maps automatically, but only from a web address: set sv_curl_defaulturl, or map file patterns to URLs in curl_urls.txt, and host the pk3s on any HTTP server. Mutators like InstaGib, weapon stay and powerups keep the server "pure"; gravity, vampire or midair changes make it impure.
Xonotic server ports
No router setup on GameTeam. Use the address and port shown in the panel: your server is not always on 26000.
Pay per GB of RAM. Never per slot.
You pay for memory, not seats, and billing can be weekly, so you are never locked into a month the group might not play. Change RAM in one click, or switch the same server to another game. The AI copilot is included on every plan.
- ✓ AI copilot included on every plan
- ✓ Unlimited player slots — we never charge per slot
- ✓ Ryzen 9 7950X · NVMe storage
- ✓ DDoS protection included
- ✓ Switch to another game anytime
- ✓ 25 GB NVMe storage · 160 Gbps DDoS protection
- ✓ AI copilot included on every plan
- ✓ Unlimited player slots — we never charge per slot
- ✓ Ryzen 9 7950X · Unlimited NVMe storage
- ✓ 480 Gbps DDoS protection
- ✓ Switch to another game anytime
- ✓ Dedicated threads
- ✓ Automatic backups
- ✓ Priority support
Hardware & network
Locations
What server owners say
"Honestly didn't expect much from an 'AI manager', but it's how I run my server now. I'll type something like 'why did the server crash last night' and it actually reads the logs and tells me."
Verified review
"I'd been on two other hosts before this. What sold me was the AI manager catching a memory leak in one of my mods and naming the exact one — something I'd been chasing for weeks."
Verified review
"I'm not very technical and setting up servers always stressed me out. Now I just ask the assistant to fix a config, and it either walks me through it or does it for me."
Verified review
Xonotic server hosting FAQ
How do I host a Xonotic server?
Download the free Xonotic release, copy the example server/server.cfg into your user data folder, set at least hostname, sv_public and rcon_password, and start the dedicated server with the server_* script for your system. Then open UDP 26000 on your router. Or deploy it on GameTeam and let the copilot write the config.
How much RAM does a Xonotic server need?
1–2 GB. Xonotic is one of the lightest servers we host, so our smallest plan, 2 GB, runs any mode with bots and a full map list. That is $0.98 a week.
How many players can join a Xonotic server?
Usually 16–32, depending on the mode: duel is one-on-one, while CTF and team modes play well with more. Set the slots with maxplayers. GameTeam never charges per slot, so a 32-player server costs the same as a duel box.
Which game modes does a Xonotic server support?
Deathmatch, team deathmatch, duel, capture the flag, Clan Arena, freeze tag, key hunt, keepaway, last man standing, domination, assault, onslaught, race, complete the stage (CTS) and Nexball, among others. Set one with gametype, or let players vote between several.
Why do players get a black screen when they join?
They don't have the map, or its download broke. Xonotic only downloads maps from a web address, so a custom map needs sv_curl_defaulturl or curl_urls.txt pointing at where the pk3 is hosted. A player with a broken download should clear their dlcache folder and rejoin.
How do I use rcon on my Xonotic server?
Set rcon_password in server.cfg. In your game, set the same rcon_password in the console, then type rcon followed by any command. From outside the server, also set rcon_address to the server address. For a helper with fewer rights, use rcon_restricted_password.
Can I add bots to fill the server?
Yes. In modes without teams, minplayers 4 tops the game up to four players with bots, and they leave as people join; in team modes use minplayers_per_team instead. skill sets how good they are, from 0 to 10. No bots play when the server is empty.
How much does Xonotic server hosting cost?
The bill follows RAM, not players. Budget is $0.49/GB a week, monthly billing is $1.99/GB a month, and 2 GB covers Xonotic, so you pay $0.98 a week or $3.98 a month. DDoS protection and the AI copilot are part of every plan, slots are unlimited, and the first 72 hours are refundable.
Same server, any game.
Fast movement, a server that never slows you down.
Deploy it, tell the copilot your modes and maps, and send the regulars the address.
Deploy your Xonotic server